Category: RootsTech Connect 2021

The largest genealogy conference in the world, this conference in 2021 was virtual with over 1,000,000 people signed up FREE to learn and explore.

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RootsTech Connect 2021 was AMAZING!!!!

Look at how many cousins I had a RootsTech!!! I couldn’t look at all of them but I DID look at so many!!

To say how incredible this year’s RootsTech Connect was would be hard to explain. I had moments of seriously deep emotions as I watched some of the Keynote sessions – I must say that Henry Louis Gates, Jr.’s part of the Heritage Highlight Block 5 – sponsored by Ancestry was the one that got my tears flowing the most, while there were others. The group discussion and music of Ladysmith Black Mambazo was powerful and … well, should I list ALL of the sessions, keynotes and educational content, the Expo Hall, exploring the Innovators area …. it was a busy time. AND I am truly glad that we have a year to watch all of the remaining content because, honestly, it was truly overwhelming and I wouldn’t have been able to do it all.

So I hope you will got to http://www.rootstech.org and add sessions to your “My Playlist” for viewing this year. I hope you got to the Expo Hall as I understand that is closing down (just like any conference) but if you saw a vendor that you wanted to check out, look for their website and visit them even after the conference as they could use your support!

And while “it’s a wrap” is perhaps in your mind, there is more to do – study, listen, learn, reach out, continue building your tree, connecting with cousins and share what you know to help others make the break-throughs that you made! And stay in touch! Contact me at judynmuhn@gmail.com.

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SOOO Much Going On at RootsTech Connect 2021

Have you been attending RootsTech Connect 2021? It is SOOO fun! There are the cousin connections – finding your cousins among the over 500,000 people attending the event – and figuring out how you are connect to them. Could be a breakthrough on a line that you have had a brick wall! On Wednesday night, I had 4350 cousins, Thursday 5700, and then today – OVER 10,000!!! Oh my … I’m digging in on each of them, as I’ve been working a long time on finding the original surname of my Polish ancestral family (we have at least six spelling variations – Nimer, Niemiec, Nemshak, Nimiec, Niemczyk, Niemczky… gads!). Hoping to find some cousins that connect in this line and maybe know more than I.

And I’ve been listening to sessions! LOTS of sessions! You can save presentations on your “MyPlaylist” and the recordings are available to you for a YEAR! Wow! So I’m making a list of everything I want to hear. There are presentations too in other languages, so as I’m working to improve my French language skills, I’m marking some of the French sessions to listen to!

The Expo Hall is amazing too – you can check out special deals, talk with people 1:1 and purchase things at special RootsTech prices. Really nice! I miss being able to physically see people, browse at the booths and actually touch the jewelry, books and materials but this the safest for right now it and it’s really good!

Another day of fun tomorrow – I’m hoping to be able to be there more as I’m “other” job took my time the last few days, but I’m OFF tomorrow to check out sessions and talk with more people. I have to say that I have thoroughly enjoyed the Chat rooms for the sessions. I’ve met some great, knowledgeable people and I’m arranging to “meet up” (via phone or Zoom) later so that I can learn from them. We’ve been chatting about the content of my session, of course, but also we have a group for all of us as speakers, bloggers, and more. The Chat rooms are really fun if you haven’t joined in yet. Please do!

See you there? Join your 500,000+ potential cousins at http://www.rootstech.org – you won’t regret it!

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IT’S LIVE – RootsTech Connect 2021 has begun!!!

Find cousins, check out the Expo Hall vendors, take classes and see Keynotes!

IT’S LIVE – IT’S FREE and it’s going to be awesome!!! There are over 500,000 (YES, you read that right!) from all over the world – 226 countries and counting! There are well over 11 languages for presentations but there are people representing WAY more languages in the world that are participating.

This is EPIC!! While RootsTech has been the largest genealogical conference in the world when we could meet in person at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City, going virtual and FREE means that anyone/everyone, in whatever timezone or location – as long as they can register (FREE – here) and have internet access – can listen to classes, Keynote speakers, find cousins and so much more.

Here are some recommendations:

First – check out the Home page (https://www.familysearch.org/rootstech/rtc2021) where there is a video presentation to help you figure out what to do at RootsTech Connect – where classes are, the schedule of Keynote Speakers, how to find relatives and more.

Second – Look at the course offerings and save them in your own list, called “My Playlist” – and …. wait for it …. the HUNDREDS of pre-recorded sessions are available now … FOR A YEAR!!!! Yes! Fill your Playlist with everything that you want to learn and take you time looking at them. However, for those of us who are speakers, if you want to use the Chat feature to reach out to us, you MUST do that during the event – today through Saturday! Then that feature closes. However, all of us (at least as far as I know) have attached PDF handouts to our talks and those have our website and email information. Please reach out as we are happy to help!

Third – Look for cousins! I have over 5,000 cousins and growing, now that it’s open and live! It’s called “Relatives at RootsTech” – and you MUST have a FamilySearch tree to participate. But look at all of the cousins who are registered that you can connect with! Save a copy of how they connect to you to use perhaps to break through that brick wall you’ve been working on. You can “friend” them and then maybe meet up during RootsTech to talk about family, records and more!

Fourth – Have fun! The Expo Hall is FULL of vendors wanting to connect with you, join Chat rooms to learn more or connect with speakers, ask questions. When you are on the RootsTech site there are people there to help you too! In the lower right corner of your screen is a button CONNECT (white with red) that will get you to someone live who can help you if you get lost.

Wow – take advantage of the whole thing!!! There is much to do, many to connect with, lots to learn and it’s just day one!!! Have fun!

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Exciting Content at RootsTech Connect 2021!!!

LOOK at some of the Keynote Speakers coming to RootsTech Connect 2021! There will be these “live” segments and then HUNDREDS of classes, workshop series and more! An Expo Hall with vendors that you can connect with and the always wonderful Relative Connections that happen when you link your FamilySearch tree with your registration. There are well over 100,000 people registered from all over the world at this point and with FREE registration, there will be more. You could find a breakthrough in your genealogy because there’s a cousin out there in Poland or Brazil or Australia or Sierra Leone who knows something you don’t!

Can you tell that I’m excited? Gads, am I! And please find your way to my presentations – three of them. The virtual setting of this year’s event made us think about what is reasonable for people sitting in on virtual technology – so sessions are about 20 minutes long. So my sessions – The Big Five: Researching the Largest Tribes – is broken into three parts: Part 1 is an overview of Native research generally, and how to think about your families and where the hints may lie. Part 2 is about the Cherokee and Choctaw. Part 3 is about the Chippewa, Sioux and Navaho. Watch one, watch all! And there’s a PDF handout there to give you some resources. And please feel welcome to use the Chat feature that will be with each of these, to connect, ask questions or just meet other family historians who are doing similar work.

Click on the pictures above to register and join the fun! Or click here to register – it’s FREE!

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SPEAKING AT ROOTSTECH Connect – 2021!

What an opportunity! I’ve been invited to speak about some of my favorite work – researching Indigenous Peoples. This presentation will be in THREE parts as it is about “The Big Five – Researching the Five Largest Tribes”.

Researching Indigenous Peoples can be a challenge, as much of our histories are oral tradition, stories told by skilled orators in our tribes, and lineal descendants in families who are sure to share the stories of the ancestors to the whole family at funerals or births. These beloved leaders can share from memory and long study the names and relationships of the broader tribal community. So mostly, this information hasn’t been written down – partly because it is sacred, important, cultural information that would be misinterpreted or added to by those unfamiliar with the stories and heritage. And some of the information isn’t written down in defiance – we don’t want some of our precious ancestral information shared with outsiders. And it’s not written down because .. well, that isn’t our way. And we are holding on tight to our ways.

HOWEVER there were many reasons and purposes that information WAS written down – census information, school records, military service and more. These resources and some of the cultural constructs of researching Indigenous families will be part of this course.

The session will be offered in THREE parts. RootsTech CONNECT 2021 is entirely virtual and, as such, the organizers wanted to consider good ways to utilize webinar technology while recognizing that people tend to learn best in non-live interaction in 20 minute intervals. So, because each of the five tribes is different, with different records, this session will cover these five tribes in three parts: Part 1 – Broad overview of Indigenous research generally; how to get started; what to do if you’ve been told that you have Native ancestors; how to move backward in time to look for clues, hints, cultural information that can help in finding an elusive ancestor. Part 2 – Will address the specific record sets of the two largest tribes – the Cherokee and the Cochtaw. The Cherokee are the largest tribe in the United States and the Cochtaw are third largest but both originate in the SE of the U.S. and have shared history that can help in your research. Part 3- Will cover the Navaho, Chippewa and Sioux. And, by the way, I will also offer you the names of each of these tribes in their own languages, rather than the English names (names used for them by the colonial people, settlers) that the Europeans gave them.

Interested? I hope you will join me! But in the meantime, as RootsTech is FREE – have you registered? Check in here: Registration

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Updates – RootsTech CONNECT 2021

Watch here for updates and information to help you have fun with RootsTech Connect – 2021!!

SOOOO much is going to happen at RootsTech CONNECT – 2021!!

As an Ambassador, we get lots of information from the RootsTech’s awesome team – to help us to help you be ready for all of the fun and learning at the 2021 sessions. Wow, just check this out!

So – there is an opportunity for you to share a video that will play during RootsTech CONNECT – yes! Learn how to share a video about your family’s culture, heritage, travel and stories. Click here to check out your chance to share about your family: Learn How To Be Featured DEADLINE December 31, 2020 so please click the link and learn about what you can do!

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RootsTech 2021 is coming!

RootsTech CONNECT – RootsTech 2021 is all VIRTUAL!!!!

THE BIGGEST genealogy event in the WORLD! Yeah, really!! AND in 2021 it is FREE!!! Yes!!! Is that amazing or what???

You can get registration information here: www.rootstech.org. There are hundreds of classes, a VIRTUAL exhibit hall, talk with professional genealogists, get tips and techniques to help you, contests, games, activities for families and SO much more! Can you tell that I’m excited?!

YES, I get to be an Ambassador again – my FOURTH year, and this year is the 11th Anniversary of RootsTech, so you can bet that there will be lots of special announcements, people and things going on. So you will want to be there.

Again, register – check out the information that is out: https://www.rootstech.org/salt-lake